A historic building in Mozambique’s Gorongosa National Park, once famous for the lions that climbed onto its roof to rest, has been restored and opened to safari guests for overnight stays.
Built in 1940 as the park’s first tourist camp, the Lion House was abandoned due to seasonal flooding. Lions subsequently took over the building, regularly climbing its spiral staircase to rest on the rooftop overlooking the floodplain.
Gorongosa Safaris has now launched the Lion House Sleep Out, offering guests a private night under the stars on the refurbished rooftop, with a guide stationed nearby. Downstairs, a small museum tells the building’s story and the park’s history.
“The Lion House is part of Gorongosa’s DNA. It’s watched over this plain through the park’s best days and its hardest ones so we wanted to restore it with real care and keep its history front and centre,” says Doug Flynn, CEO of Gorongosa Safaris. “Lots of places offer a sleep out but this one comes with a story. You’re lying on that roof, listening to lions call across the same plain they’ve been watching for 80 years. I honestly think it’s the best sleep out in Africa.”
The experience is available to guests staying at Muzimu Lodge and Chicari Camp at a surcharge of US$800 per night for up to two people.
The restoration is also part of Gorongosa’s wider recovery story following decades of wildlife rehabilitation after Mozambique’s civil war.
Watch the video to discover the history of the Lion House and its transformation into a new safari experience.
Watch the Video:
